This disclosure is related to an adaptive trainer for individual muscles, muscle groups, and joint conditioning and rehabilitation. The adaptive trainer can be used in rehabilitation centers, professional gyms, and sports centers.
The shoulder joint, for example, is the most dynamic joint in the body, as well as the most important joint for the function of both upper and lower extremities, as well as for the function of the trunk. The shoulder joint can move in several directions including flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, horizontal flexion, extension, abduction and adduction in addition to circumduction and medial and lateral rotation. In order to achieve such movements, the shoulder joint is controlled by multiple muscle groups, where each muscle group works in a specific direction with a given range of motion.
When the shoulder joint of a subject is affected by pathology, such as frozen shoulder, the subject will gradually start losing the range of motion and strength of the shoulder joint in different directions. The subject needs to do stretching as well as strengthening exercises to maintain what is available of the range of motion and muscle strength, as well as attempt to repair the pathology.
A proper amount of resistance needs to be given at each range of motion associated with a respective muscle group. Traditionally a therapist can estimate the proper amount of resistance needed at each part of the range of motion to target the respective muscle group. However, this is labor intensive and expensive as exercises needed to be done several times per day.